


Blood Hound

by MoonFlowerPen



Category: Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: F/M, Other, Searching, adorably tense, brotherly work, etc. - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:14:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26194711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonFlowerPen/pseuds/MoonFlowerPen
Summary: After Persephone's disappearance, Cerberus worries greatly for the young goddess and wishes to be the one to find her. A small or perhaps long series of chapters to be planned, Cerberus does not appear as he normally would in this narration... And perhaps it might even help their search.
Relationships: Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 37





	1. Midnight Barking

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Lore Olympus Fic, but I'm just as excited to be writing it for all to enjoy. Thank you for reading, and have fun!

“Where is she…?”

The rather critical question echoed three times throughout the obsidian halls, unmistakably owned by the King of the Underworld himself- but it was not he who roamed the halls in search for the beloved goddess, who needs no introduction in this short telling of concern, frustration, and reluctant patience. No, it was not Aidoneus who found himself within these corridors, but instead triplets.

Each twin walking in lockstep with the other, all in pristine and just as pressed black suits- as if midnight had been torn from the sky and tailored for them, each wearing ties of distinct shades of blue so as to differentiate themselves from their siblings, although the dramatic difference between their personalities was more than enough to set the brothers apart. One tie imitated the tender cyan shade of a sky they could not see, the second resembled the shore of a distant, yet calm ocean- of course, not Acheron in this case, and the final tie had emulated the deep indigo of an unforgiving, though equally enthralling, night sky. Walking in an exact rhythm as if they each shared the same body, the three young men, often mistaken as teenagers, were infamous for guarding the very gates of hell for the man they considered their father. 

All three were formally known as Cerberus.

The twins had separated the syllables of their names so as to refer to one another, living alongside one another and growing used to being referred as one entity for quite some time. Now, however, their duty as guardians of the Underworld was the least of the brothers’ concerns. As they passed through the final hall, they ensured that they would not be heard by their canine siblings or worse, their father. The deathly silence was eventually shattered by a more gentle voice, which belonged to the first twin. 

“Father is…” Hesitating upon the more familiar name they had given their ruler, he continued to speak. “...Ah, beside himself. He’s out with Lady Hecate for the moment, so what should we do-?” The young man jumped once the third brother interrupted him, with a more aggressive tone to his voice once he turned to look the softer sibling in the eye. 

“What we should be doing right as we speak is searching for her. Have you not gotten the message that we need to start as soon as possible? You said it yourself- Hades is beside himself and I doubt he needs more to worry about when he returns!” This sibling wasn’t typically the type to snap at his brother- but ever since her disappearance, the air had been more than just “tense”. Upon witnessing his brother shrink, the second sibling finally presented himself, more than used to seeing the two bicker.

“That’s enough, Rus.” He spoke calmly to the youngest and third, cursing the fact that he was always the one in the middle when these two clashed. Due to their personalities, it didn’t surprise anyone that they would argue occasionally- but no altercation couldn’t seem to maintain the three away from one another for long. “You’re both right in your point that the King doesn’t need more on his back- which is exactly why you two shouldn’t be arguing at any given chance. Stress about her disappearance is understandable, but I feel we must remember that she is a goddess. Wherever she is… I’m positive that she’s unharmed.” Was he merely telling himself that? The thought plagued him, but he needed to at least try to comfort both of his brothers before they bit one another’s heads off, figuratively speaking (although strangely capable). The third brother didn’t seem too satisfied, consequently making him cross his arms at the middle sibling. “And what do you expect us to do, Be? Just sit nonchalantly while she’s out there, facing gods know what?” His question caught the attention of the first brother, as the two of them looked to the duly nicknamed “Be”, waiting for an answer with large blue eyes.

“Absolutely not.” He replied, known to be the more rational one of the three. Cer (Sometimes even referred to as Cecil) was a soft one, the first one to have succumbed to Proserpina’s loving advances so as to soothe them, and seemed to enjoy sweets, most often honey. He was the more emotional and gentle one, hence his assigned color. On the other side of the spectrum, always positioned to Be’s right, they had “Rus”. An avid fanatic of music, one of the things that could do the miracle of calming him when in his more aggressive state- See, the third brother was a rather fiery one, and although strong, a bit too irascible for his own good. In the middle, the third brother knew his state. Balancing their mindsets, he was usually the one to offer a solution, but he knew he hadn’t grown tired of his brothers. And so, he offered a solution. “We both know that Hades could turn half the underworld over looking for her.”

“And?” Rus scoffed. 

“I suggest we start turning the other half.”


	2. The Infernal Trinity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As their search continues, the brothers know that they will eventually find no more stones to turn. Tensions keep growing amongst the siblings as they realize that the search for their future queen within the Underworld may be in vain, yet their tenaicty refuses to wane- even with their thinning patience. Reluctantly, they find themselves taking more dangerous measures to gain anything on Persephone: Unknowingly, these risks will pose a danger to more than just them. Willing to take the brunt of the hit, they each know they must act fast if they want to avoid the watchful eyes of their distraught King.

“Hold on a moment-” The second and more level-headed brother stood with his arms crossed, looking upon the other two siblings (who had, of course, already tried to leave and begin the search) with frost within his eyes, a pinch of hail falling behind the irises that have gazed upon the souls of the damned and that of living heroes enough times. “-His Majesty isn’t home at the moment, and I’m positive that he wouldn’t approve of us not doing our duty. However, we must take this chance and ask the rest of our siblings. One of them has to know something, they're about as fond of her as we are.” Pulling at the edge of his sleeve with slim, dark fingers; he seemed to have been born from obsidian, fresh from an eruption. 

“Is Cordon Bleu fond of her?” Rus snorted with a more sarcastic tone befitting of his persona, as the first twin turned to him in response. “Come on, he may be rather… Ah, small, but I’m sure he secretly enjoyed the attention.”

“Like hell he did.” Falling silent upon witnessing the middle sibling pinch the bridge of his nose in exasperation, even Rus decided now wasn’t the time. A momentary silence falling upon the corridors, they nearly felt as if they were trapped within the endless and just as deathly silent abyss of space. Father was nothing like space- his skin didn’t glimmer with stars, and it didn’t devour the very beings it created. “Nevertheless, we should start asking-”

And so, the fierce blizzard within the third brother’s eyes disappeared entirely once he saw the most recent addition to the family carefully padding towards them, her little paws carrying her body over to them. He approached her, and gently crouched to try and be at the tiny dog’s level, cooing to her. “Pomelia, hello. Have you seen Lady Proserpina?” He asked, scooping her up into his calliginous palms and holding her on the crook of his arm. The little dog remained silent for a moment, as the first and softer brother stepped up. “Maybe she’s a little afraid of you, seeing that you refuse to take off your fangs when off duty. Meli, have you seen miss Persephone? The Rosed One?” In response, Meli gave them a moment of silence and soon the smallest of whimpers. 

His brow furrowing, Be’s expression was quick to relax so as to show he wasn’t disappointed in her. “So she doesn’t know. That’s alright, Pomelia, you did your best.” As Rus placed his (adopted puppy) sister down, the third “head” of Cerberus piped up. “Perhaps Big John has seen her. She’s the most likely to be worried for her, considering she’s softer than Ce himself, the damned Samoyed. We each know she’s close to Hades...” Looking at one another, the three brothers seemed to give a silent nod of agreement and moved to the courtyard, the dignified ashen color of the roses matching the color of their skin. Finding the pale canine, the samoyed was the first to approach them and wag her stark white tail, falling upon hearing the question more than two deities in the realm have been asking themselves. Barking a response after looking back at Mushroom, who had been enjoying the outside of the home with her, the triplets nodded- their movements synchronized yet unpredictable, such as a constellation, lost within the ocean of ink above them. “So you two don’t know either… What about Russell?”

“Russell is in the daycare with Cordon Bleu, seeing that they can’t go two minutes without destroying something. If Pomelia, John and Mushroom don’t know anything, who’s to say Fudge or J.P. might have something? Even Hades doesn’t know.” Becoming frustrated, as was normal of the third twin, the air only tensed further. “If all of the other dogs are worried as well, then we can’t be certain that Hades won’t catch onto what we’re trying to do and stop it immediately. Even if we find Persephone… We can’t pretend to know her well. All we should do is protect her if we do come across her.” 

Naturally, this was the point where Be would speak. “Rus, for once I can tell where you’re taking that train of thought. Persephone is a goddess. Once finding her and ensuring that she is unharmed, we should-”

“Not intervene and allow her to take things at her own pace.” Cer murmured at last after his silence throughout the conversation, looking to the dark roses- the freshly fallen plane of snow behind his eyes seeming disturbed for once. “She’s doing this for a reason, if all of this was her choice. The sooner we go, the faster we can find her before any undesirable members of this Underworld search party do.” 

And so it was. The triplets finally agreed, and set out in the Underworld to either ask or search, from the gates to the gardens to Acheron; and the gates had been first. Relieved of the landscape of stark white and blue stars offered by the city, each sibling found themselves dressed in attire more fitting for the freshly dead, as they would stop at the gates. Losing the ties, what set them apart relied on the number of silver bands around their left arms- One halo of silver around Cer’s arm, a subtle platinum earring adorning the right side of Be’s face, and Rus had decided upon 4 rings of titanium around his fingers, each connected. The gates of the Underworld were barren, red soil beneath their feet, hydrated by the wasted life force of those who wished to speak with the dead. Nevertheless, the silence was supported by the wandering souls, the only disturbance coming from the brother’s harmonized steps- the steps traveling through the atmosphere like ribbons through the holes of a corset, tightening and soon strangling the ambience for air. If it was quiet to the point where even their own steps could be heard, they wouldn’t find Persephone- no rose blooming around the wilting, deathly pale white buds known as the freshly dead. “The biggest dog with the softest steps….” Echoed Cer quietly, remembering the sickly sweet tone of voice he yearned to hear again, hopeful gleam in his eyes leaving him, just as easily as the souls of mortals. Rus grit his teeth with now more developed fangs, as some souls avoided him as a result of witnessing the rows of the colorless jagged blades the third sibling seemed to have for teeth. More severe in his appearance, he was the devourer of the three. “She’s not here.” He sighed- the jaws resembling the flashes of white, falling stars, lost in the abyss he had for skin. Each brother was intimidating in his own right, but the elegance born by the darkness was undeniable. It appeared as if the onyx robes around their skin and the starless waterfalls they had for manes could feast on the light around them, as their search along the gate was futile- concerning one twin, frustrating the other, and placing the middle one in the pensive state. 

“She can’t be in Acheron again, Father would’ve known immediately.” Keeping his voice low, Cer looked to his brothers, and it seemed as if he were looking at a split mirror, representing alternate versions of himself- cut from the very fabric of space. “Who knows Persephone, that wouldn’t place her in danger if they were to know that she’s gone…?”

“Absolutely no one in Olympus, Cer!” Rus finally snapped, turning to his brother sharply as the wild, naturally swept mess of hair draped over built and just as dark shoulders- the brother seemed tense, and that had overtaken him. Looking at his brother with pools- no, oceans, infinite distances of ice within his eyes, the jaws that had devoured many a soul showing with each word that split from his lips. “I thought the three of us have seen enough about the gods to know how much they enjoy involving themselves in things- why do you think we’ve been so loyal to Hades?!” The words echoed, as Rus had practically barked this out to his softer brother- who had opaque, white flames licking at his skin- an angry storm in the middle of the deepest ocean manifesting on his flesh- his eyes narrowing as he spoke with a cutthroat tone. “I thought you would have enough drive to be willing to take these risks for her. She deserves to be the future queen alongside Father...”

“I know that!” Rus hissed. “But which god do we know won’t help in delaying that process?! N-”

“I believe I know.” The centered and just as stable middle brother’s velvet voice pierced the conversation as suddenly as a silver arrow, and he would be found looking upwards with focused yet disturbed irises. The tension merely grew amongst them and all three of them knew it would erupt at some point. However, he wasn’t gazing at any rare stars upon the abysmal atmosphere of the Underworld, no- He centered his attention towards the familiar red flame in heavenly white robes, his eyes following the figure’s line of flight.

“Hermes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, and a lovely thank you to those who find joy within reading this story. It'll surely keep alive, as many things are in store for the brothers... No matter how taxing.


	3. (Don't) Kill The Messenger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After their first attempts to find Persephone within the borders of the Underworld were found to be in vain, the brothers take a moment to reminiscence on an exchange had with their Father, following his destined embrace with the goddess of spring. With the thought fresh within their minds and the image of the King's deserving future to drive them further into their quest to find Persephone, they manage to speak with the God of Thieves; however, upon finding Hermes, their conversation yields unexpected results. Consequently, they delve deeper into this ever flowing river of secrets.

Chapter III: (Don’t) Kill the Messenger

“I TOLD HER THAT I WANTED HER.” 

Hades’ voice made the Cerberus twins give a fleeting glance from one another’s moonlit eyes and soon to their father, as the god paused once releasing a string of curses- stark white scars breaking the surface of his ocean skin, the stunning cracks visible due to his attire, from a past era of course. Meanwhile, the panicked crimson forming his just as gentle eyes managed to find the three identical pairs of orbs and he stared into each of them, consequently seeming as if he could foresee the outcome of such an event within them. He couldn’t.

“Somehow this is your fault.” He spoke, his voice rich with a hurricane of emotions he was sure he hadn’t experienced in millenia. All it took was Persephone- even the thought of the name was effective… Kore, Persephone, Proserpina- all of them inspired a new emotion to join the agonizingly exciting fray. Distressed, he had turned to look at the triplets, who lounged together West of Hades. Their movements were choreographed, as their actions as brothers could remind one of the wild melodies birthed from an orchestra. The siblings had returned his scarlet gaze with three pairs of frigid glances- one tried to comfort him, the other tried to see through him, and the third seemed to be more critical of his words. The third set of eyes would soon be matched by a wintry voice. “You haven’t changed, Aidoneus.” Giving the god a wry smile, he took another drag as the smoke coming from the cigar wrapped around his head in its unpredictable movements, resembling a ghostly halo. As Hades met the statement with silence and a stare, Rus shrugged.

“What? You’re not smoking them anymore. It would be a shame to waste them.”

Naturally, this provoked words from the King of the Underworld, who ran a hand through his winter hair quickly and curved his hand back to rub his eyes, opening once more after he waved the imaginary thoughts plaguing him away. “It’s not that, Cerberus. What right did I have to simply embrace her like that? What made me think I was enough for her to do that? She returned it, but...”  
“Your majesty-” Be had idly lifted a dark hand so as to make himself present. “Throughout your relationship, you have merely respected her- even with your infatuation with Lady Proserpina.”

_Infatuation._

The word echoed with a strange fullness in his chest- yet, it didn’t let him breathe.Hades knew it was true. He wasn’t bothered by the thought, in fact he was enthralled by it constantly. For once, the emotions he drowned in were warm, serene… Why did he refuse them so? However, it had stirred far too many things awake, and the storm only grew stronger within him- he was a god, why couldn't he just quell it? Even the image of her haunted him in his rest and more so in the waking world. Every single time she spoke, he could hear the golden honey drip from it- the kindness and sincerity she offered to him calmed him for the first time in the thousands of years he has lived, and the mystery of her made it worse. The Bringer of Death had conquered him, he knew that! Yet, the sheer amount of questions she awakened… He wanted- no, needed -to know more of Persephone’s world and be an addition to it, fiercely so. 

Nevertheless, the voice of the second twin interrupted his trance. 

“I’m not sure who told you that you wouldn’t be enough for our goddess of spring- but what we want you to tell yourself is what you think. You said it yourself- she returned a kiss that I’m sure shook the fates themselves. So why must you insist that disaster will happen? She turned into butterflies, which is… Strange, I’ll admit. But the Rosed One isn’t the kind that would shut herself off. All cards will reveal themselves in due time, I believe the God of Wealth has had enough for quite a few lifetimes.”

At this, Cer leaned forward to speak- his cyan scarf draping clumsily over his shoulders with his hair to match. “Father- ah, Hades.” Ah, his ability to be so close to the king, even as an adopted son could cause a smile to threaten the god’s lips. “I must agree with my brother. The way you two look at each other seems obvious to everyone except the both of you. Painfully cute as it is to me-” The three twins leaned forward, their cheshire smiles matching identically. 

“Are you finally ready for a deserving Queen?"

-°------○------°-

With the memory fresh in his mind, the middle twin was more than determined to find her. “Hermes has to know something. He’s a friend of Persephone and scouts the Underworld on the daily. Moreover, he’s a messenger…” 

Nodding, Rus was quick to take the stronger approach to get Hermes’ attention, as Be quickly turned to him after hearing the sound of a chain. Each silver ring connected to one another, appearing as if they were hundreds of diminutive halos. “Ack-!” Grabbing his brother’s wrists, he shook his head. “Maybe it’s best that we don’t drag a god down in the middle of his flight. We must come up with a solid plan and manage to get his attention, of course without such drastic measures-”

**“HERMES!”**

Both brothers looked to the first one, who had waved Hermes down with a bark of all things. As the silence continued, Cer turned to his siblings and gave a dismissive wave of his hand, a grin accompanying it. “Miss Persephone is gone- we mustn't waste any time.” 

“...If a dog has no bite, he has a hell of a bark.” Of course, such a bark had not alerted the souls at the gates of hell, as they had found him only just entering the realm of the mortal dead- right at the border. The silver chain dissipated within Rus’ palms, though he seemed proud of his brother as Hermes alighted before them with his signature, relaxed smile; the flaming mess of red hair burning atop his head- a golden headband with open wings crowning him as the messenger god of Olympus. The brilliant Caduceus, as always, rested loyally within his palms.

“Cerberus! What can I do for you?”  
“Hermes… Wonderful as it is to see you, I fear we must bother you about your friend-”

“Thanatos?” His smile remained, but quietly strained nevertheless. Thanatos had asked about Persephone, what had he told the hounds of hell? Did they even interact? Before he could speak again, the first head of Cerberus piped up with a clarification. 

“...I’m afraid not. It’s about Persephone.”

Sweet Gaia- did everyone have to be onto her these days? His smile melted into a look of concern, as Cerberus would never be the kind to try and know about the goddess with malicious intent. “What about her? I last saw her around her birthday… Is she alright?”

“She might be, but we can’t trace her for the life of us. Do you know of where she might be?”

“Persie…?” Hermes could feel his voice come out thinly. What had Thanatos done? What had he said about her? Where the hounds of hell to ask about the sudden influx of souls? The questions plagued him, but he felt the need to trust these three- they were on Persephone’s side of this silent war. “...First of all, why do you think she’s gone?”

“We really cannot place it.” They knew it wasn’t because of the amorous kiss- she had come to Hades’ home to make breakfast and gave them a baguette for Gaia’s sake. “But you scour this place each day, and are a messenger, so we thought-”

“Cerberus... I don’t know.” His fingertips clutching at Caduceus’ golden hilt, he knew that this web of secrets was beginning to unravel. He knew Persephone wasn’t ready for that to happen. Hermes’ brow furrowed. “No matter what you do, make sure to keep her safe- be careful of who you whisper this to. Persephone has her reasons, I’m sure- but I haven’t seen her. For the sake of you three, I’ll do my best to find her, alright?” The messenger wasn’t himself, that much was evident- but even he had his reasons to be concerned about this, and that heavily included Demeter of all gods. Did he know where Persephone was, and was merely protecting her as he did with Thanatos?

Well, that wasn’t his story to tell.

Finding no answers with Hermes, Cerberus showed their gratitude and left- The red god waving to them until his hand dropped to his side, asking himself the most prominent question in his head.

_“Thanatos, what did you do?”_

Still, the twins weren’t close to finishing. In fact, some pieces were coming together loosely, but steadily. Now for all times, they have found a new target to question after collectively asking who, of all creatures in the domain of Aidoneus, would want Persephone gone. Watching his reflection on the side of the apartment building they had traveled to, Be dusted his hands off as the hounds of hell had made haste in their purest form to this vicinity. “Are you sure we should be asking this one?” Be asked his brothers, to which Rus quelled that thought. “We’ve seen and devoured the souls of nervous liars enough to know that Hermes won’t chirp about Persephone, as much as he wants to help us. Why not go to someone a bit more… Blunt, to put it in kind words.”

“Of course not- we’re not saying this question outright or telling them, but we must try and find at least some sign of her. Hades will be returning to the house soon, and we have barely gained anything. I promise you, Cer and Rus, that this will be our last attempt.”

One, two, … Three knocks, that was all it took for the door of the apartment they came to visit to open hastily, showing a disheartened yet just as frustrated nymph.

“Minthe… We must have a word with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Hermes has a John Mulaney voice. Thank you for enjoying!


	4. Red Is Not Your Color

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cerberus, out of frustration, decides to go to a more contradictive character in search for answers. Minthe, on the other hand, gains her own plans and leads after speaking with the triplets, her irritation at Persephone's presence merely growing along the way. Nonetheless, the triplets realize that they have little time to find Persephone before their dreaded fate comes to pass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to the talented Goddess of Chaos and Myth_Is_A_Mirror for helping the editing of this chapter!

“Persephone?”

Hades called out and circled the virtually empty house, his voice swiftly accompanied by the rhythmic click of heels running across the dark tile- the noise echoing and filling the corridor. “Persephone… Is her royal majesty feeling timid again?” Hades asked, two rows of pearly teeth showing to compliment the spirited tone of voice he gained- but the heels only kept going. “Sweetness… Are you teasing me?” He chuckled, velvet circling his tongue, his more rogue white locks bounced as he briskly walked towards the source- Turning a corner merely to catch a fleeting glimpse of the pink river of a mane owned by his queen. His heartbeat matched the clicking as he briskly followed, picking up more speed as, for her size, she seemed to be able to outrun him rather easily. “Come now, Kore-” Laughing, he continued trying to reach her, managing to find her somewhat hiding behind a dark pillar, belonging to an archway leading to a garden she had made. However, his smile faded upon recognizing the look of sheer fear within her eyes. “Kore?” He asked, his hands turning up a bit into a comforting gesture- Why was she afraid? “Kore, are you alright-?” Broken off by a sharp pain at his feet as he winced, he looked down to witness thorns entangling his ankles. His heart dropped to his stomach, twisting it into a knot with the thought of what was to come.

_“Stay away from me.”_

After her sharp tone of voice stabbed at his core, he shook his head, small sections of white hair brushing at his eyes. “Persephone, I don’t understand… Persephone!” Calling after her, he felt his voice grow thinner still after she turned her back from him, only slightly looking back at the King.

_“I never wanted to be here with you, Aidoneus.”_

Why?! His lungs drowned in pain as his heart writhed in it, his heartbeat growing fearfully irregular, stealing air from his body. Why was she doing this? He tried to speak, yet… All in vain, as a hoarse, agonized whisper struggled to leave his lips.Trying to free himself from her thorns, he fell to his knees as they tightened, as if… As if they intended to kill him. “Persephone… Please, I don’t understand-”

 _“Of course you understand, Hades.”_ The pain of the thorns dulled in comparison to her hateful tone. _“Why…”_ She paused, merely to turn to him and speak again. 

_“You’re the splitting image of your father.”_

The brambles tried to devour his body, golden blood dripping to the floor as he shook his head in desperation, trying to look at her. His scarlet eyes widened as he watched blood begin to drip from his Kore’s eyes, the blood had begun to spread across her pink skin- the livid red traveling across her flesh, staining it as her eyes grew sharp, her hair melted into crimson, and her ears grew sharp. Everything about her had shifted into another woman. 

_“Who would want to be with someone who resembles the greatest tyrant we’ve ever known?”_

Consequently, nothing left him but a ragged breath. 

_“You know you’ll be back. You always come back.”_

“Why would I want to go back?” He whispered, his own tears striking the floor sharply, turning to ice.

 _“Because, Hades…”_ Her nails began to cut into his cheeks, golden ichor beginning to drip down her red hands as a result of her cold, vengeful approach. 

**_“YOU AND I ARE THE SAME."_ **

“KORE!” Finally hearing his own voice tear its way out of his throat, he held a hand over his neck, where the thorns had last tightened. His breathing filling the room, he desperately felt around his body and his face to find the cuts originally caused by her, the Persephone that had melted into… Her. He wasn’t falling back into Minthe’s talons, he knew that full well; but did the nightmare signify that the little goddess was afraid of him? No, it only placed his true fear into a terribly vivid image. Had Persephone truly run away because of him? Questions and doubts filled his head. These questions tended to be either irrational or sensible, yet he had languished over them since meeting her, and more so after embracing her. The moment Persephone was in his arms, he knew he didn’t want to let go for the life of him. Yet, even Cerberus disagreed with his persistent thoughts, with the crown of thorns he had placed upon his own head. 

_“I’m not sure who told you that you wouldn’t be enough for our goddess of spring- but what we want you to tell yourself is what you think of your own worth for her.”_

That… 

Hades sighed, standing, the image of Minthe’s livid eyes staring into his own as she read his own torment to him haunting the end of that nightmare. Yet it felt as if he could still taste Persephone’s lips- rose water and pomegranate.

He needed to let himself decide what he wanted in a relationship, and it felt liberating to have the space to think of it. 

\----->*<\------

Her apartment felt empty, even if Minthe was usually the one infiltrating Hades’ once peaceful home. As for the red nymph, it wasn’t much the same, to her apparent dismay. He hadn’t even let her try again, what had Persephone done? And then she had the nerve to blackmail her- 

Are these the consequences of her actions, finally lashing back with the same force she had done onto Hades?

Why didn’t she stop being like that? What made her insist upon such actions? 

Staring with spiteful eyes over her balcony, Minthe couldn’t even look out without thinking of what he might be doing with that pink upstart. She knew it was her fault, she knew she shouldn’t have insisted on feeding that venom to hurt Hades, she knew she regret striking him like that. And yet, she knew she couldn’t go back. Pride and Pain devoured her heart too quickly, forcing her to ignore her strange misery in this manner of all possible ways she could have handled it. Why does the thought of her own head bearing the crown to the Underworld terrify her, but knowing that Persephone will angered her beyond reason? It made her want to keep Hades for herself, but that was it. She wanted the upper hand over someone she knew wasn’t like her. She wanted to take something from them. It was poison, and again she asked herself why she insisted on drinking it. She writhed in the bed- or grave -she had made for herself, until three knocks were heard, one of which was more of a bang than a knock. Walking towards the door, she felt some hope that it was Hades upon finally realizing that Persephone wasn’t what he wanted in his life, when he realized that he was just at _her_ level and not that of a minor goddess. Upon opening the door, however, three shadows loomed over her own figure, as Minthe had to look up to gaze into three pairs of glacial orbs. 

“Minthe…” She begrudgingly listened to the soft, cult tone of the middle head of Cerberus. “We must have a word with you.”

She had been caught. Should she apologize…? Absolutely not, she was disgusted by the feeling of subdued weakness that she considered would be brought by an apology to three adopted children. 

“Why are you here?” She scowled. “Here to devour my soul on behalf of your King?”

The sudden bark of a laugh from the more aggressive brother chilled her to the bone. He leaned forward- close enough for her to see the souls of mortals swimming within his irises, begging for an escape. Within them, she could faintly see her reflection, looking back. “Trust me, you are not up to our tastes.”

“Aggressive as my brother may be, he is correct. We could not be less interested in terms of your soul.” Be and Rus let themselves in, and they were closely followed by the softer brother, who didn’t make the attempt of looking at her, speaking once his back faced her. “...Not a word to Father about our presence here, alright?”

“...Right. What do his three adopted dogs want from me?”

His dark hand gripping Rus’ wrist, Be was quick to speak. “We want to ask about Persephone. Have you seen her?”

Great. Now the guardians of hell were ten feet up her ass as well, and there seemed to be nothing she could do about it. “Not that I would care to see her, but no. She isn’t even at work anymore- Why hasn’t Hades fired her yet?”

“Do not ask questions that do not concern you, Minthe. We are not acquaintances. We merely know of one another’s existence and that is how it will remain after our talk. Do you have any involvement with her not appearing today, at the office?” 

“Why the hell would I be involved with that? What right do you three dogs have to come in here and get something out of me for that blue-”

“Need we remind you that we are not as merciful as his majesty?” The triplets spoke in chilling unison. 

“....No.” She grit out through her teeth. “But I want you three to leave. I don’t know where Persephone is or why she’s gone, and I don’t care to know why. We’re finished talking.” Persephone… Even Cerberus didn't know where she was?

“So it seems.” Putting up a hand to stop Rus from acting rashly, he nodded to himself as she pinched the bridge of his nose. “You were right, Cer. There isn’t anything we can find here.” Walking in lockstep, the three of them decided to leave, but Be had decided to stop just before joining the other two brothers in the hall. “Oh, and Minthe?” The tall shadow of a man stopped, the air just as frigid as his tone... His hair had lengthened, ice crawling up the tips of his mane in an eerie spread of frustration. It wouldn’t be long until they became Cerberus once more, they had too little time. 

“Don’t forget that we know what you did.”

And they left, just like that. They had the audacity to leave her with that? Nevertheless, she’d be a fool if she didn’t know that this was her one and only chance to pounce and reclaim what was hers.


End file.
